Rail-joint.



` LND. 716,501V

Y M. E. STREEPY.

RAIL JOINT.-

A Application filed Apr. 23. 1901.) (No Model.)

Patented Dec. I6, |902.

UmanoN nimmt tric.N

MILTON E. STREEPY, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATIONformng.part of .Letters Patent No. 716,307, dated December 16, 1902. Alipiimio ined April 23, 1901l serai No. 57,155. N model.)

To /LZZ whom, it mrtg/condann- Be it known that l, MILTON E. STREE'PY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona,in the county ofBlairand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-joints; and the objects are to provide 'a device for holding securely in alinement the meeting ends of the rails of. a railway-track which is eflicient in fulfilling' the purposes intended, which is strong and durable in use, which will maintain the parts in aggroupjment, which dispenses with screw-bolts for holding the splice-bars to the rails, and which is resilient at the immediate point of abut-` ment of the rails, and which permits free expansion and contraction of the rails.A

`Vilith these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction of parts and their operative coaction, aggroupment, and combination,.as will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed. j

I have fully and clearly illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of the specification, and wherein- Figure 1 is a' perspective View of the device, showing the elements o r parts assem bled and applied to the meeting portions of the rails. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on a line through Fig. l parallel with the in-` i of a splice-bar, showing a pin-hole extending throughthe same. Fig. `5A is a perspective of one of the chairs or clamping-brackets, showing the lug on the under side, which engages in the notch in theV base or horizontal flange of the splice-bars and also showing the seat for the lodgment of the end of the springs. Fig. 6 is a detail View of one of the springs removed from the device.

It will be premised that in the ordinary construction, consisting of splice-bars or fish- .grooves or apertures in the chairs.

i plates clamped to the web of the rails, the

connections are made by bolts projected through the splice-bars or plates and the web of the rails and secured by nuts on the threaded ends of the bolts. This means is attended with some disadvantages on account of the nuts and bolts becoming loose or separated. In the present invention these clamping-bolts are dispensed with and the rails and splicebars held together by novel means, which are the elements of my in vention.`

Referring to the drawings, A B designate the usual cross-ties of a railway road-bed.

l 2 designate flat base-plates having their endsturned up or formed with vertical flanges 3 4, against which the ends of the chairs abut and are prevented from endwise displace- `ment.

In the plates are made spike-holes 5, placedl so as to correspond with the spike On the plates l 2 are laid the rails C D, with their ends contiguous or closely adjacent.

b' 7 designate the splice-bars arranged on opposite sides of the rails, with the meeting ends of the rails substantially at their middle, as indicated. The splice-bars are of such length as may be required to fulfil the purposes intended. These splice-bars consist of suitable metal plates or bars having a vertijcal Wall 8, made of such height as to reach from the base-liange of the rail to the under face of the head of the rail against which the upper edge of the splice-bar abuts, as indicated in the drawings. The wall 8 is slightly curved vertically on its innerface, and at the top and bottom, extending the length of the bar, are formed inwardly directed ribs or iianges 10 1l, which bear against the webs of the rails at top and bottom. From the base of the wall S extends a horizontal base-flange 12, conforming in contour substantially to the face of the foot or base-flange of the rail, and at determined points in the edge of the flange are made open-end slots or notches 13 IOO of the splice-bars. In Fig. 4 of the drawings the splice-bar is provided with a pin-hole eX- tending through it, and in this arrangement the pin end abuts against the inner face of the chair and serves the same purpose.

It will be perceived from the foregoing that the curved construction of the walls 8 of the splice-bars meets the pressure of the treadanges of the rails and tends to cause the Wall at the top and bottom to pinch inwardly, thus supporting the web and preventing the splice-bars from spreading outwardly and also tightening their gripping force on the rail.

E designates the chairs or clamps which hold the splice-bars in position on the rails. These consist of substantial forms of metal having their' under surfaces made to conform i to the surface of the lateral and horizontal ange of the splice-bars and their outer portions to lie flat on the face of the plates 1 2, substantially as indicated in the drawings. At the junction of the-curved and fiat under surfaces of the chairs is formed a lug 17, which engages in the slots or notches 13 14 in the edges of the splice-bars, thus preventing the splice-bars from endwise movement and by the engagement of the said bars with the projecting ends of the pins through the web of the rails preventing the assembled parts from being displaced. The outer ends of the chairs abut against the flanges on the ends of the base-plates, and in the sides and end of the chairs are formed spike-grooves 18, registering with the spike-holes in the plates, so that the chairs may be spiked down in position. In the vertical inner ends of the chairs are formed seats or sockets 19, which at their inner ends may terminate lin recesses 20, in which the ends of the clamping-springs 2l seat. The clamping-springs 21 are substantial dat springs bowed so that the middle of the bow will bear against the vertical outer face of the splice-bars, and the ends of the springs being seated in the seats or sockets in the chairs the opposing bows of the springs will bear with force against the vertical Walls of the splice-bars and tend to hold them clamped against the webs of the rails and also provide a limited and controlled yielding function to the joint.

It will be perceived that the only fastening devices in the nature of bolts are the spikes used to hold the chairs in their relative position to the other elements. It will be further perceived that in some instances the pins through the webs of the rails may be dispensed with and that the base-plates may also be omitted in cases of light tracks and light rolling-stock.

The parts are assembled and secured in position as follows: The base-plates are placed in position, the rails laid thereon, the pins placed in the Web-holes, the splice-bars put in position against the rails with the ends on the pins in the sockets made for them, the chairs and springs are placed in position and then the spikes are driven home and the joint is complete.

1. A rail-joint comprising the rails having webs, splice-bars having vertical walls with curved inner faces and upper and lower ribs along the edges of said wall and horizontal flanges to lie over and on the base-flanges thereof, said horizontal anges being formed with notches or slots in their edges, and chairs to set against the vertical Walls of the splicebars and formed with lugs to engage in the notches or slots in the splice-bars.

2. A rail-joint comprising the rails having vertical Webs, splice -bars having vertical walls to set against the webs of the rails and horizontal flanges to set over the base-flanges of the rails, said horizontal fianges being formed with notches in their edges, chairs to set against the vertical walls of the splicebars and having lugs to engage within the notches of the splice-bars and formed with seats in their inner vertical faces, and clamping-springs having their ends disposed in said seats.

3. A rail-joint comprising the rails having vertical Webs, splicebars having vertical Walls to set against the webs and horizontal iianges to cover the base-flanges of the rails, chairs to set over the base-Hanges and abut against the Vertical walls of the splice-bars, and having means integral with the chairs to prevent the lengthwise movement of the splice-bars, and resilient means interposed between the chairs and supported thereby to .bear against and force the splice-bars against the rails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON E. STREEPY.

Witnesses:

EDWIN M. AMES, A. T. GEESEY. 

